How to Stop Loving Stuff and Start Loving People

Being blessed with material wealth, things like a nice home and decorations, cars, clothing and mountains of electronics, is great. I’ve been given all of these things in my life and I’m grateful. But at times, some of these “good things” become “the things” that I begin to worship or protect, in a sense, forgetting what is truly important.

This Could Be Me…This Could Be You

After living in community for a while in Tacoma I met an older couple, not yet retired, but getting close to that stage of life. They were really cool folks who loved food, wine and riding motorcycles. What’s not to like? (more…)

Be The Church

If you’re a Christian who has grown up “going to church” most Sundays, do you find yourself asking, “Is this all there is?” Maybe instead of just going to church it’s time to BE the Church!

Please read on.

I spent my first few years as a pastor at a really large church near Chicago. I will be forever grateful to the staff I worked with during those years.

My life, character, and theology were shaped in profound ways during that time, and yet I still wondered, was this all there was? Is this what Jesus meant by his Kingdom had now come onto this earth?

Get a free copy of my super-popular eBook, Be The Church, now.

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The Consistency of How God Now Sees You

We all experience hard times, relational strife or loss and fear. And it can lead to deep depression and self-doubt. However, there is always one thing present in those times that we can easily forget: the consistency of God.

I travel a lot for ministry and work, and I have for years. A while ago I was on a flight that scared me a little. Not long after take-off we flew up through a dark layer of storm clouds. The plane rocked and jumped from side to side and seemed to struggle as it climbed through the clouds. It was a pretty turbulent few minutes.
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How Do Introverted People Stay Engaged in a Missional Life?

Welcome to this 4th installment of Ask Caesar. Here’s this week’s question:

“Caesar, this missional lifestyle you write and speak about sounds so awesome, but I’m not an extrovert like you and your wife both seem to be. How do introverts like me fit into this whole missional thing?”

I’m glad you asked that Meg because I hear this a lot and I think it’s an important issue.

First, a little history about these personality types and how they differ.

Extraversion and Introversion are the preferences originally used in a personality inventory created by psychologist Carl Jung in the 1920s. Most people today may be more familiar with these terms in connection with the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory. These terms are unfortunately a bit outmoded, misunderstood and misused in that extraversion is not about being loud or the life of the party and introversion is not about being shy or anti-social. (more…)

How To Lead Your Small Group or Church Toward True Missional Living

In this episode of Ask Caesar #7, Chris asks the question: “How do I begin to lead my Small Group or church toward true missional living? I want our folks to really live an authentic ‘everyday faith’ in community with others. How do we begin?”

Thanks for asking Chris, I have been EXACTLY where you’re at, and it can seem daunting to say the least!

My wife and I stumbled around this stuff for years too, but now, after living this way, and training others around the world, we’ve found that there are some foundational steps that absolutely cannot be missed.  (more…)

Gospel Tipping: Why Overtipping Should Be Our Norm

Is it just me or does it seem that more and more people are expecting to be tipped for their services these days? And at increasing rates.

When my wife Tina and I lived in Manhattan we had to actually plan to have cash on us in small denominations at all times because it was such a tipping culture. Why do some people get tipped extra money for doing their jobs and others do not? And how should we respond to that? And what about people who kinda stink at their job, but expect to be tipped anyway?

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